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Achieving Success on Digital Credential Examinations

One exciting fact of choosing a computer-based, technology-focused art career path is that the tools you use to create your masterpieces–whether they be viral video games, spectacular audio edits, or engaging advertisements—will be constantly evolving. Your go-to tools today will be obsolete in as few as two years, perhaps even sooner, depending on how aggressive the company is at releasing timely updates to increase program functionality. As a student at Broadview Entertainment Arts University (BEAU), you will be given the essential skills you need to enter a career in the digital arts. However, as new tools are released, and old tools evolve, you will likely be called upon to show that you have sufficient experience and skill in using these tools.

One way that companies across the world ensure that they have sufficiently qualified and experienced individuals in various positions is to require that employees hold credentials that exhibit their skill with certain digital programs. As you begin to build your portfolio of digital credentials, and build upon those credentials during your career, there are several tips that help you improve your outcomes as you take the exams necessary to receive certification in various programs. Implementing a few specific study techniques prior to attempting a credentialing exam can help you succeed on the first try and can, in turn, save you money.

First, it is important that you do not attempt to take a credentialing exam until you have put effort into preparing yourself for the exam. It is best to wait until you have spent time working on an ongoing basis with the program and feel comfortable with using it. However, if you have limited access to a program, you can still be successful with additional preparation. Just make sure that you feel comfortable with the program before signing up for the associated exam. When you decide you are ready to move forward with the exam, read all of the information available about registering for the exam to ensure that you give yourself enough time between the day you register and the day of the exam.

Now, it is time to begin your study plan. To ensure that you have the absolute best chance of success on any given credentialing examination, you should consider taking a training course on the program provided by the company that administers the examination. Because the examination company will know the exact material on the exam, and have full insight into how the material is tested, it can offer the most targeted information possible to you as an individual seeking to master the information. These programs can be costly, and some employers will pay for employees to enroll, so you may want to check with your employer, or any potential employer, to determine if they will assist with any associated costs.

If you are unable to take a full training course, or you feel you have basic mastery of the information on the exam and do not need to take a training course, there are several alternate steps you can take to make sure that you are prepared for your examination. First, you should review all of the materials the testing administration company has released about the exam. Everything. From descriptions of the exam to the more detailed outlines, you should read every document the company has published about the exam. If the company publishes study guides, you should purchase one, and make sure to work your way completely through the guide.

For some examinations, the companies do not print testing materials or offer training courses of any kind. In this instance, there are alternate test preparation materials that you can find online. From short pay-per-view courses to individual tutor services offered via online computer forums, having a guide to help you work through the information that you will need to know for the exam can be extremely beneficial. This is especially true for individuals who are employed and those that stay busy. The cost of the tutor or online guide will be absolutely worth it when you can save hours sorting and organizing testing material into manageable bits.

When deciding how much to spend in preparation for a credential examination, you should consider the value the certification will add to your resume. Is the credential going to help you advance in your current job? Will it help you get a new job in which you are interested? Is it going to help you produce a better work product for your clients? How much will the credential add to your personal or professional value over the next six months? The answers to each of these questions can help you decide how much money to invest in preparing for a credentialing exam.

Once you have your study materials in hand, you need to commit the tested information to memory. You should also work through any sample questions that are provided. Familiarity with the format of the questions is perhaps one of the most helpful tools you can have in your corner come exam time. Knowing the material is important, but if you are unable to quickly and efficiently access the information and apply it to a specific style of question, you may not achieve the result you want on the examination. In addition to sample questions released by the testing company, you may be able to find questions written by individuals that are published online.

Finally, do not underestimate the power of social media as you enter the world of exam preparation. There are forums and Reddit threads on just about every credential you could be seeking. Check in to these communities to get keyed into the most up-to-date information about the exam. Make sure to ask questions of and read posts by those individuals who have recently completed the exam. In addition to having study tips and tricks, they can be the first to alert you to changes in questions, topics you should focus on, and can even give you pointers about utilizing the examination software or interacting with the testing site staff.

Credentialing is a process that is unlikely to wane in the professional technology community. You will be likely to encounter these examinations often. Remember to be prepared, and you can feel confident entering your credentialing exams.

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